Devils rookie Adam Larsson is finding out the hard way that life in the NHL is a little different than playing in the Swedish Elite League. Case in point, during the second period of the Devils’ 4-2 win over Carolina, Larsson was doubled over in pain after a run-in with Carolina captain Eric Staal.

The hit wasn’t a bodycheck or a shoulder to the head or even an elbow in the teeth. Instead, Larsson was hit in a very uncomfortable place by Staal and, no, we’re not talking about the back of a Volkswagen. NHL.com’s Dave Lozo tweeted Larsson’s report on why he looked injured in the second period:

“”I got a stick in the balls…it hurt.”

Yup, that’ll do it all right. Hang on, there’s got to be a bag of sympathy ice around here someplace.